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An Act to Incorporate the Winslow Bridge Company
Section 1 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, that ^all persons who^ may become stockholders pursuant to the provisions of this act, be and they are hereby
created a body politic and corporate by the name and style of the Winslow Bridge Company, and by that name shall be authorised to hold real estate sufficient to effect the
objects contemplated by this act, and of suing and being sued, defending and being
defended, in law and equity in all courts whatsoever; and shall have power to establish
such by-laws, rules and regulations, not repugnant to the Constitution and laws of this State and of the United States, as shall be found requisite for the due government and
proper management of said corporation.
Section 2. The capital stock of said corporation shall be twenty five hundred dollars divid into shares of twenty five dollars each, provided however, that if it shall be found insufficient for the erection of a suitable bridge
across the Peckatonica River, as designed by this act, said corporation may increase said Capital stock to an amount not exceeding in the whole, five thousand
dollars.
Section 3. That William S. Russell, Thomas Vanvalza, William Wardham, David Marsh, and John K. Brewster of Stephenson County in the State of Illinois and Russell W. Baldwin, William Boiles, Fortunatus Berry, & William J. Bankson of Wisconsin Territory, be and they [are] hereby appointed commissioners, to open Books for subscription to the capital Stock
of said corporation, which shall be opened at such time and place and manner as said Commissioners may
prescribe.
Section 4 Whenever fifty shares of the stock of said corporation shall have been subscribed, the commissioners aforesaid shall give at least three
weeks notice of the time and place of the meeting of the stockholders for the choice
of directors, by advertisement thereof in some newspaper published in or nearest said
County of Stephenson County or personal notice in writing; and at the time and place appointed as aforesaid the
stockholders shall choose by ballot five or seven directors, being stockholders of
said corporation, who shall serve for one year and until their successors are chosen and qualified
for office, a majority of whom shall form a quorum for the transaction of business.
An annual election for the choice of directors shall be held, at such time and place
as the stock holders, at their first meeting shall appoint, and the directors thus
chosen shall select one of their number to act as president and also appoint a secretary
treasurer and such other agents as they may consider expedient, Provided that in case said stockholders neglect or fail to elect directors at any Annual Meeting,
said corporation shall not on that account be dissolved, but the President and directors for the time
being, shall exercise the duties of their office, till
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their successors are duly chosen by the said stockholders.
Section 5 The directors may demand from the stockholders respectively all sums of
money by them subscribed, at such times and in such proportions as they may direct,
first giving notice to said Stockholders as prescribed in the fourth section of this
act, stating the amount on each share demanded and the time and place of payment;
and if any stockholder shall neglect or refuse to pay the sum required as aforesaid,
for the space of fifteen days after the time named for such payment, the said corporation may if they see fit, commence suit against such delinquent for the amount due, in
any court of competent jurisdiction and recover the amount, with two per cent a month interest thereon, and if said amount c[annot] be levied on execution or if such delinquent is out of the state, the corporation may declare said stock forfeited, with whatever amount ^may^ have been previously paid thereon, and the same ^shall^ remain to the sole benefit of the said Corporation.
Section 6. The said Corporation may construct a Bridge, across the Peckatonica River, at the village of Winslow at or near where the free ferry now is, and ^the same^ shall be built in a safe and workmanlike manner, with a convenient draw or otherwise
so as not to obstruct the free passage of steam and other boats, rafts &c[et cetera], not less than eighteen feet wide, and well secured by a firm railing on each side
thereof, not less than four feet high.
Section 7. Whenever said bridge shall be completed, said corporation may erect a Gate and toll house at either end thereof, and may demand and receive
for toll not exceeding the following rates to wit: every four wheeled carriage drawn
by two horses or oxen twenty five cents, for each additional horse or ox attached
to said carriage six and a fourth cents, every two wheeled pleasure carriage twenty
five cents, for every wagon or cart sleigh, sled or cutter drawn by one horse eighteen
and three fourth cents, for every cart, sleigh or sled drawn by two horses or oxen
twenty five cents; for each man and horse twelve and a half cents; for each horse
or mule six and a fourth cents, for each head of neat cattle three cents; for every
sheep or hog one cent; for every foot passenger six and a fourth cents, and in the
like proportion of the foregoing rates for any other animals or carriages. But all
persons going to and returning from places of religious worship; going to and returning
when in the discharge of military duty; and all foot passengers across ^crossing^ said bridge, residing within one mile of the same, shall be exempt from paying toll,
Provided further, that all persons bringing grain of any kind to the mills established at said village
of Winslow, and returning with the same when ground, and also all persons residing within one ^two^ miles of said Bridge, who may cross the same, for the purpose of procuring fire wood
and timber for their own proper use, shall not be required to pay more than one quarter
part of the regular tolls, as specified at the commencement of this section
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Section 8. If any person shall willfully impair or injure said bridge, the person
so offending shall forfeit and pay to said corporation, treble the amount it may cost to repair the same with costs of suit, to be recovered on
conviction thereof, in any court of law having competent jurisdiction
Section 9. If any person shall forcibly ^pass^ the gate or bridge aforesaid, without having paid the legal toll, he shall forfeit
and pay eight times the amount of said toll, with costs, to be recovered for the benefit
of said corporation, by an action of debt before a justice of the peace.
Section 10 If Any toll gatherer shall without sufficient reason, delay or hinder any
passenger at the gate or shall receive or demand more than the legal toll, he shall
for every such offence, forfeit the sum of five dollars, to be recovered with costs, to the use of the person
so unreasonably delayed, hindered or defrauded.
Section 11. The said corporation shall at all times after the completion thereof, keep said bridge in good repair,
and should the same be permitted, to remain in a dangerous or impassable state for
the space of ^twelve^ months at any one time, the said bridge shall be forfeited to the County of Stephenson, Provided however, that the destruction of said bridge by fire, high water or other casualty, shall
not work a forfeiture of the privileges hereby granted, if the said corporation shall forthwith proceed to repair the same.
Section 12. No person or corporation shall within the term of ten years from the
completion of said bridge, construct any other toll bridge, within one mile above
or below said bridge, provided the said corporation shall keep said bridge in good repair during the term of ten years, pursuant to the
provisions of this act.
Section 13 If the said bridge shall not be constructed within the term of three years
from the passage of this act, then and in that1 case, this act shall be null and void, otherwise to remain in full force for the
term of twenty years.
Section 14. Whenever the County Commissioners of the County of Stephenson, may deem it fexpedient to purchase said bridge, they shall have the right to do so, by paying said
Corporation, the original cost of the same; with twelve and a half per cent thereon, and said corporation shall file with the Clerk of the County Commissioners court of Stephenson County, a true statement of the actual cost of said Bridge, within one year after the completion
of the same.
Section 15. Certificates shall be issued to the stockholders, as evidence of the stock
held by them, which shall be signed by the President and secretary, said stock to
be transferable on the books of the corporation only personally or by agent or attorney duly authorised for that purpose, and said
stock shall at all times be holden by the corporation
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due from the holders to said Corporation.
Section 16. In all elections for directors or for other purposes, each stockholder
shall be entitled to vote aeither in person or by proxy according to the amount owned by him in said Corporation, each share counting one vote, provided however that no one stockholder shall be
entitled to more than twenty votes.
Section 17 The directors may call meetings of the Stockholders whenever they may deem
it expedient and also when requested so to do in2 writing, by any ten of the Stockholders and shall at each annual meeting present
a true and accurate account of the concerns of said corporation, and also declare and pay over to each stockholder respectively, Semiannual dividends
of the profits that may accrue to said Corporation, in such manner as said Stockholders shall prescribe.
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A Bill for an act to Incorporate the Winslow Bridge Company
Handwritten Document, 4 page(s), Folder 281, HB 338, GA Session 11-1, Illinois State Archives (Springfield)